SeaWorld San Diego's Turtle Reef

Learn all about green sea turtles at a lively exhibit in Southern California.

Unless you’re a marine biologist specializing in rare and endangered species, you’ve probably never seen dozens of green sea turtles up close. At SeaWorld San Diego’s Turtle Reef, these 300-pound giants float gracefully in a 280,000-gallon aquarium, swimming amidst bright coral and Technicolor schools of tropical fish. Visitors can join the majestic marine reptiles in Race for the Beach, a big-screen video game about turtle ecology. For a real-time view of SeaWorld’s conservation programs, check out the Turtlelink touch-sensitive global map to track rescued turtles outfitted with beacons. Outside in the plaza, the Riptide Rescue ride lets you zip through the air on an imaginary mission to save the aquatic critters.

Photography by Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego

This article was first published in November 2013. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.